Independent buying guides for soap making

Best Essential Oils for Natural Soap Making

Updated How we research

Our top pick

Plant Therapy Top 14 Essential Oil Set, 10 mL Bottles, 100% Pure, Undiluted

Plant Therapy Top 14 essential oil set in 10 mL bottles, 100% pure and undiluted, a broad starter collection.

Our score8.6/10

Best budget

Lab Bulks Essential Oil Tea Tree Essential Oil 16 Ounce (2 Pack) for Soap Making

Lab Bulks tea tree essential oil, 16 Ounce in a 2 Pack, a bulk supply for tea tree and acne-themed soaps.

Our score8.4/10

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts distilled from flowers, leaves, peels, and roots that scent soap naturally, appealing to makers who want a botanical, additive-free label. Home soap makers reach for them to build herbal, citrus, and woodsy blends and to market genuinely natural products. Because essential oils vary widely, look for purity and a clear botanical source, and understand staying power: citrus notes fade fast in cold process while heavier base notes like patchouli and cedarwood anchor a blend. Check safe usage rates, since some oils irritate skin at high loads, and note which ones accelerate trace or discolor. Buying in small quantities first lets you test how each oil holds up through the cure before committing to a large batch.

The short version

We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 6.7 to 8.6 out of 10.

Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score

  1. 1.Plant Therapy Top 14 Essential Oil Set, 10 mL Bottles, 100% Pure, Undiluted
    8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
  2. 2.Lab Bulks Essential Oil Tea Tree Essential Oil 16 Ounce (2 Pack) for Soap Making
    8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
  3. 3.Plantlife Basic Sampler Set 6-Pack (Lavender, Tea Tree, Peppermint, Eucalyptus and more)
    8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
  4. 4.Majestic Pure Lavender Essential Oil with Glass Dropper, 100% Pure, for Soap & Candle Making, 1 Fl Oz
    8.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
  5. 5.Essential Oil Set 14-5 ml Therapeutic Grade 100% Pure (Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint and more)
    7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
  6. 6.Woolzies 100% Pure Soap Making DIY Scenting Essential Oil Blend Gift Set
    7.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
  7. 7.PHATOIL 9PCS Premium-Quality Essential Oils Set for Soap Making Diffusers, 10ml
    7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
  8. 8.Gya Labs Signature Essential Oil Set (0.17 Fl Oz x8) for Diffuser & DIY Candle Making
    6.7/10See on AmazonCheck price
Tick up to 3 picks to compare them side by side.
Plant Therapy Top 14 Essential Oil Set, 10 mL Bottles, 100% Pure, Undiluted#1
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Plant Therapy Top 14 essential oil set in 10 mL bottles, 100% pure and undiluted, a broad starter collection.

Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 7/10

  • + Top 14 set covers a wide range of classic essential oil scents
  • + Plant Therapy is a trusted brand known for testing its oils
  • + 100% pure undiluted oils give you full control of blends
  • - 10 mL bottles are small for scenting large soap loaves
  • - Premium brand set costs more than generic essential oil kits
Lab Bulks Essential Oil Tea Tree Essential Oil 16 Ounce (2 Pack) for Soap Making#2
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Lab Bulks tea tree essential oil, 16 Ounce in a 2 Pack, a bulk supply for tea tree and acne-themed soaps.

Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10

  • + 16 Ounce (2 Pack) bulk size is ideal for frequent tea tree soap batches
  • + Tea tree essential oil gives a fresh, medicinal soap scent
  • + Bulk pricing makes essential oil soaps much more affordable
  • - Large amount of one oil is too much for makers wanting variety
  • - Tea tree must be kept within safe skin usage rates in soap
Plantlife Basic Sampler Set 6-Pack (Lavender, Tea Tree, Peppermint, Eucalyptus and more)#3
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Plantlife Basic Sampler Set 6-Pack with lavender, tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus and more essential oils.

Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10

  • + Includes soap staples like lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus
  • + 6-Pack sampler is a smart way to learn essential oil blending
  • + Plantlife is a known natural aromatherapy brand
  • - Sample bottles are too small for anything beyond test batches
  • - Peppermint and eucalyptus need careful usage rates in soap
Majestic Pure Lavender Essential Oil with Glass Dropper, 100% Pure, for Soap & Candle Making, 1 Fl Oz#4
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Majestic Pure lavender essential oil, 1 Fl Oz with glass dropper, 100% pure, for soap and candle making.

Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10

  • + Lavender is the most popular single essential oil for soap
  • + Glass dropper helps measure small amounts for test batches
  • + 1 Fl Oz is a bit more generous than typical sampler bottles
  • - Single scent only, so you will need other oils for variety
  • - Lavender scent can soften noticeably after a long cure
Essential Oil Set 14-5 ml Therapeutic Grade 100% Pure (Frankincense, Lavender, Peppermint and more)#5
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An essential oil set of 14-5 ml therapeutic grade 100% pure oils including frankincense, lavender and peppermint.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10

  • + 14 oils give a broad variety for exploring essential oil blends
  • + Includes frankincense, which is often pricey to buy on its own
  • + Good introduction set for new essential oil soap makers
  • - 5 ml bottles are far too small for full-size soap batches
  • - Therapeutic grade is a marketing term, not a certified standard
Woolzies 100% Pure Soap Making DIY Scenting Essential Oil Blend Gift Set#6
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Woolzies 100% pure soap making DIY scenting essential oil blend gift set, designed with soap makers in mind.

Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10

  • + Blend set is made specifically for soap making and DIY scenting
  • + 100% pure essential oils suit natural soap product lines
  • + Gift set packaging is a nice present for new soap makers
  • - Blends limit your control compared with single essential oils
  • - Check how many bottles are included and their size before ordering the set
PHATOIL 9PCS Premium-Quality Essential Oils Set for Soap Making Diffusers, 10ml#7
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PHATOIL 9PCS premium-quality essential oils set in 10ml bottles for soap making and diffusers.

Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10

  • + 9PCS range covers popular scents for testing essential oil soaps
  • + 10ml bottles are good for small sample batches
  • + Also works in diffusers, so leftover oils get used
  • - 10ml is not much essential oil for a full cold process loaf
  • - Essential oils fade faster in soap than many fragrance oils
Gya Labs Signature Essential Oil Set (0.17 Fl Oz x8) for Diffuser & DIY Candle Making#8
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Gya Labs Signature essential oil set (0.17 Fl Oz x8) for diffusers and candle making, not mainly aimed at soap.

Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 6/10

  • + 8 signature oils give a pleasant variety for testing scents
  • + Gya Labs is a popular aromatherapy brand with nice packaging
  • + Good gift set that doubles for diffuser use around the home
  • - 0.17 Fl Oz bottles are too tiny to scent real soap batches
  • - Marketed for diffusers and candles, so soap usage guidance is thin

Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged

No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.

Frequently asked questions

›What is the best choice among essential oils for natural soap making?

Plant Therapy Top 14 Essential Oil Set, 10 mL Bottles, 100% Pure, Undiluted is our top overall pick. Plant Therapy Top 14 essential oil set in 10 mL bottles, 100% pure and undiluted, a broad starter collection. It earns our score of 8.6/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.

›What is a good budget option?

Lab Bulks Essential Oil Tea Tree Essential Oil 16 Ounce (2 Pack) for Soap Making is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Lab Bulks tea tree essential oil, 16 Ounce in a 2 Pack, a bulk supply for tea tree and acne-themed soaps.

›How much should I expect to spend?

Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.

›How were these products chosen?

We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.

Soap Making Nest independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.

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